Display device



uly 4, 1 J. ZUCKERMAN 2,894,344

DISPLAY DEVICE Filed July 2, 1958 "FIG.1. i--

INVENTOR: JACK Z0c rERMA/V UnitedStatesPatent O i 2,894,344 DISPLAY DEVICE Jack Zuckerman, Seaford, N.Y., assignor to Einson- Freeman Co., Inc., Long Island City, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 2, 1958, Serial No. 746,174

6 Claims. (Cl. 40-130) This invention relates generally to display devices, and has particular reference to signs used for advertising or for other purposes.

A general object of the invention is to provide simplification of thetype of sign which presents the illusion of being illuminated, but which actually requires no illumination other than available light descending from above.

It is another object of the invention to provide a sign of this kind which can be inexpensively made from simple sheet material, such as cardboard; which can be shipped or mailed in flattened or knock-down form and easily assembled or set up by the recipient without the use of tools; and which when erected and placed in a position of display on a horizontal surface will provide an attractive, self-supporting attention-receiving sign.

More particularly, the invention contemplates the pro- 'vision of 'a sign of this character made from a single sheet of cardboard and an inexpensively-produced cardboard easel; the sheet being foldable to form it into a front apertured display panel and a rear reflector panel coated with a reflective paint, ink or similar surfacing. The panels are so designed and held that the display panel may be disposed at an acute angle to the reflector, the easel having means by which said panels are maintained in proper relation and the device firmly supported on a flat surface with the front panel in a position of slight inclination from the vertical.

;It is a feature of the invention, contributing to the staunchness, effectiveness and simplicity of the improved device, to provide the reflector panel with slots, to mount the easel on the rear face of the display panel, and to form the easel with wings which extend rearwardly through said slots and engage the reflector panel to hold it at the desired inclination to the front panel, the easel wings serving also to support the device as a whole upon a horizontal surface such as a shelf, a store counter, or table.

A preferred Way to achieve these objects and advantages is illustratively exemplified in the device shown in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Fig. l is a face view of the improved display device in its flattened form and viewed from the front;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the front panel, herein referred to as the display panel, showing the easel attached thereto and collapsed flatwise against it;

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of the display device in set-up display position and resting on a supporting surface;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the structure of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view, taken substantially on the line 66 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a detail view of a portion of the rear of the device, showing the wings of the easel and the locking tabs thereon; and

Patented July 14, 1959 ice Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view, in the direction of.

Fig. 4, showing a modification.

The device illustrated in Figs. 1-7 is formed of a single sheet of cardboard defining the display panel and.

the reflector panel, and a second sheet of cardboard forming the easel. The main sheet is shown flat in Fig. 1. It is substantially rectangular and is divided by a longitudinally-extending score line 3 into a front panel wings 9 and 10, the two wings being similar in shape and construction. The wing 9, when the device is in position of non-use as in Fig. 1 is disposed flatly against the back of the panel 1, and is adapted to be placed in operative position by being outwardly folded on the score line 11. Similarly, the wing 10 is outwardly foldable on the score line 12, and when the two wings are folded as above described, they will extend rearwardly, as shown in Figs. 2, 5, and 7. The wing 9 is provided on its outer edge with a tab 13 foldable on the line 14, 'while wing 10 is formed with a similar tab 15, foldable on the line 16. It will be observed that the lower edge 17 of each of the wings 9 and 10 is upwardly inclined, thus providing supporting edges on these wings which will cause the device to assume the position shown in Fig. 4 when it is supported on a horizontal surface. In this position the front panel 1 is. held at a slight rearward inclination.

Provided in the reflector panel 2 is a pair of slots I 5 and 6, the slot shown at 5 being adapted to receive the wing 10, while that shown at 6 receives the wing 9. These slots each have one end located adjacent to the fold line 3 as most clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the improved display device will be readily apparent. The device may be compactly shipped or stored in flattened condition, with the easel wings lying flat against the front panel. When the device is to be used, the

panels 1 and 2 are adjusted into the desired angular ity and the. wings are folded rearwardly on the lines 11 and 12 and inserted through the respective slots 5 and 6. The insertion of the Wings through the slots 5 and 6 is facilitated by bending down the tabs 13 and 15 flatly against the wings on which they are formed before thrusting the wings through the slots. After the wings are passed through the slots, the tabs 13 and 15 may be laterally folded as in Fig. 7 or unfolded entirely as shown in Fig. 4. The tabs act as stops or abutments, limiting the separating movement of the panels 1 and 3 and maintaining them at a proper acute angle to one another. When the device is set up as above described and is rested on a horizontal supporting surface 20, as shown in Fig. 4, it will rest upon the line of fold 3 and on the lower inclined edges 17 of the wings 9 and 10, thus positioning the device with its front display panel 1 at a slight inclination from vertical.

The surface 19 of the rear panel 2, which is the surface facing the back face of the display panel 1, is preferably coated with a highly reflective material, such as paint or ink, and it may be of brilliant coloring. When the device is placed on a counter or other supporting surface, the light from any overhead source will strike the reflecting surface 19 and be directed forwardly through the apertures 4 forming the lettering in the display panel, thus creating the effect of an illuminated sign.

Since the device is economically made from cardboard and can be mailed or shipped in flat form, its advantages as an advertising medium will be readily apparent.

, Fig. 8 shows amodification of the easel wings whereby each has an arcuate edge part 21 adapted to fit snugly againstthe end of its slot, and an arcuate edge part 22 whose radius of curvature is slightly greater. This forms a shoulder 23 which limits the movement of the reflector panel 24 as it is swung toward the cut-out display panel 25 in the direction indicated. The dot-and-dash lines show the disposition of the reflector panel when it is in its closest relation to the display panel.

To facilitate the adjustment of the parts into proper set-up condition, the edge 21 may be formed with a notch 26 at the base of the shoulder 23, and with a minute enlargement 27 directly adjacent to the notch. In this way the movement of each easel wing through its slot in the reflector panel will manifest a slight resistance as the bump 27 is encountered; then by a small increase in pressure the panel 24 will snap into engagement with the notch 26 as shown in dot-and-dash lines and be yieldably locked in this location.

The shoulders 23 in the wings of Fig. 8 are analogous to the corresponding edges of the tabs 13 and 15 in Figs. 4 and 7. The tabs 13 and 15 bear against the rear face of the reflector panel to locate it at a proper inclination relative to the display panel. The shoulders 23 accomplish the same purpose by bearing against the front face of the reflector panel.

Although I have described two embodiments of the invention, it is obvious that the invention is not to be restricted thereto, but is broad enough to cover all structures coming within the scope of the annexed claims.

What I claim is:

1. A display .device comprising a sheet of cardboard foldable along a hinge line to form it into V-shape and defining a front apertured display panel and a rear reflector panel, an easel secured to the rear of the display panel and having Wings projecting at right angles to said panel, said reflector panel having slots through which said wings extend, each wing having an arcuate edge concentric with the hinge line and a shoulder along said edge adapted to bear against a face of the reflector panel when the latter is in a predetermined angular relation to the display panel.

2. A display device as set forth in claim 1, the end edges of said easel wings serving as props to support the device in set-up condition on said hingle line as a base.

3. A display device as set forth in claim 1, said arcuate edge of each wing having a part of lesser curvature and a part of greater curvature, said shoulder being be tween said parts.

4. A display device as set forth in claim 1, said arouate edge of each wing having a part of lesser curvature and a part of greater curvature, said shoulder being between said parts, there being also a notch in said edge at the base of said shoulder, to lock the reflector panel in yieldable manner in a position bearing against said shoulder.

5. A display device comprising a sheet folded on itself to divide it into a front display panel and a rear reflector panel, the two panels being disposed at an acute angle to each other so that light from above will be directed forwardly toward said display panel by said reflector panel, an easel secured to the rear of the display panel and having wings foldable to positions in which they project rearwardly from said panel, the reflector panel having slots through which said wings project, locking means on the wings for engaging behind the reflector panel to hold said panel at a predetermined angle, and the wings having angular lower edges on which the device is rested, said edges serving to maintain the device upon a horizontal surface with the display panel disposed at a slight rearward inclination.

6. A collapsible display device comprising a folded sheet having a front display panel provided with cut-out lettering, an easel secured to the rear face of the display panel adjacent to the line of fold, said easel having a central portion adhesively secured to the back of the display panel, wings on the easel at the opposite ends of its central portion and normally lying flat against said panel, said wings being foldable to position them at substantially right angles to the central portion of the easel, each of the wings having a radially-projecting tab on its edge, the sheet including a rear panel constituting a reflector and having a face directed toward the rear of the display panel, said face bearing a coating of reflective material, the rear panel being disposed at an acute angle to the display panel, said rear panel having a pair of slots through which the wings may extend, said wings when so extended through the slots having their tabs disposed at, the back of the rear panel, the wings having angular lower edges so that when the device is rested on said edges upon a horizontal surface it will be supported with the display panel at a slight angle to the vertical.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,769,377 Lindsey July 1, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS 304,911 Great Britain Jan. 1, 1929 

